Funding increases for Scotland's higher education institutions mean there is no need to rush into redundancy threats, according to a university staff union.

Scotland's 19 universities and higher education colleges are to share more than £1.1bn in the next academic year.

The cash, from the Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council, means funding rises of between 1.3% and 6.1%.

The University and College Union (UCU) said there was "no obvious financial justification for staff cuts".

The union, which represents about 7,000 members in Scottish higher education institutions, said some universities would experience real terms cuts.

But it said additional and capital funding would yield increases in all institutions.

The funding announcement means a real terms increase for everyone

Terry BrotherstoneUCU Scotland president

The union said that, of the institutions which had recently announced possible redundancy proposals, Dundee University had received a real terms increase of 1.7%, Heriot-Watt 1.6% and Glasgow Caledonian 1% in grants.

UCU Scotland president Terry Brotherstone said: "The funding announcement means a real terms increase for everyone - including those institutions that have been talking about redundancies."

The funding agreement includes £689.8m for teaching in 2008/09, which will allow the level of funding to be maintained in real terms.

In addition £279m, an increase of 6.2%, will go on research and knowledge transfer.

The money will also include £87.4m for capital funding - to be used to modernise estates and to provide fit-for-purpose facilities for learning and teaching.